Kill the Old Chains
by IncursioSlayne
Summary: Three years after the fall of the Empire, Tatsumi lives a life that almost isn't as exciting as his time with the Night Raid...except when it comes to his daughter. The mother of his child had been missing since that final battle, and with encouragement from Leone, he decides to try an old relationship one last time. But will the return of that woman change his entire world...?
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This story idea truthfully came out of nowhere today. But it was something that I had to write. My priority right now is Heart and Gunpowder, but I still just wanted to drop this little nugget._**

"We wish you would come back home."

Those were the final words of the letter sitting openly on the table, but Tatsumi couldn't bring himself to read the letter a second time. It was from his home village, and they obviously knew what he'd been up to in this post-Empire era. It had been three years since the rebellion succeeded, and though the main battles were over, there was still fighting from loyalists.

It wasn't as though it was unexpected, but Tatsumi never realized that they would still be trying to fight for an Empire that no longer existed.

His meager home was filled with the minimal amount of decorations, though he certainly had the money to live a grander lifestyle. But that wasn't what he wanted. In truth, he wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to do anymore.

His days as an assassin were mostly over, save for the occasional request to stop a new loyalist uprising.

No, aside from training his body and working within the new Empire's ranks, life had mostly fallen into a repetitive pattern of working during the day, and resting at his home at night. Yet, even after three years, he couldn't stop the anticipation he once had when he worked with the Night Raid. Those days were nostalgic for him.

"Daddy?"

His young daughter grasped at his fingers, her beautiful green eyes staring up with worry in them. Truthfully, he never thought he would be a good father to her – but so far, everything had worked out in his favor.

"Hey there, Sayo," he said to her, lifting the young child in his arms. "Were you a good girl today?"

She nodded. A smile spread across her face, one that melted his heart. "The beast lady took us to the park today. It was a lot of fun."

Tatsumi grinned and kissed his daughter on the forehead.

"You know, it would help if she would just call me by my name," the woman watching over the child had said.

"She can't help it," Tatsumi remarked, setting his daughter on the ground. "Thanks for watching her."

"It's no problem at all," the 'beast lady' said, walking over to Tatsumi's fridge to pull out a bottle of liquor. "When are you planning on paying your big sis back, though? I don't like watching over kids for free."

"I tried paying you," Tatsumi told Leone.

"And I told you that I don't want that money. I already marked you, so why don't you just give me my real payment. We'll have so much fun."

Tatsumi chuckled at that. Leone hadn't changed very much. She still wore the same exposing outfit as she always had, and he was worried a little bit that some of her traits would rub off on his daughter. But for the most part, Leone had cared for the girl, and Tatsumi couldn't take that away. Besides, little Sayo seemed to really enjoy hanging out with her.

"She's not around, Tatsumi…it's been three years, you know. I will never understand why you would want a woman like her. Mine's not going to wait around forever…she's getting impatient."

Ah, Mine. The pigtailed girl brought back some unusually fond memories.

"I thought she hated the fact that I had a daughter with that woman?"

Leone shrugged her shoulders. "I think she's realizing that it wasn't really your fault about what happened. Just take her out on a date…I think she'll be satisfied with reconnecting, at least."

"Hmm…" Tatsumi sat and stroked his chin. It was true, the two of them hadn't spoken in quite a while. With his priority being his daughter, he truthfully didn't have enough time to work on their relationship…or relationships that the two of them had. Breaking up, getting back together, drifting apart…it was a weird circle that the two of them were in. "I guess…"

"Good. It's settled," Leone cheerfully said, patting Tatsumi on the back.

A little too hardly, if he had a say in the matter.

Leone practically hopped out of her chair and moved for the door. "I'll let her know that you'll have a date tomorrow. Just the two of you. I'll watch the kid for free this time. You'll be surprised at what Mine might have to say this time."

For some reason, that filled his heart with more worry than anything.

But then again, what could've been more worrisome than having a daughter with the most notorious sadist in the Empire? If only Esdeath had been around…but then, he wouldn't have moments like these where he could relax, now would he?

* * *

><p>It was so unlike her to avoid drawing attention, but Esdeath truly didn't want to unnecessarily cause a fight with any of her enemies. There were so many of them. Though her blood screamed out to paint the streets with horrible screams and death, she had a single-minded focus that overpowered even her very nature.<p>

She had left the Empire to seek her own battlefields, having listened to Tatsumi's words back on that fateful day.

He told her to come back when she was ready to lay down her arms.

Why did his words penetrate her so deeply? She used to seek battle, thrilled by the prospect of having someone trying to prove they were stronger than her. The little assassin known as Akame was even prepared to fight her to the death, and yet, something about what Tatsumi said struck her.

'We'll be waiting for you,' he once told her.

Something about those words had caused her to do something she never would've thought was possible – she left the battlefield. Well, she left this battlefield. There were other parts of the world in which she could fully embrace her nature and cause all kinds of havoc. It was thrilling for a time.

But now, standing here in the outskirts of the Empire borders with garments to hide her features, there was a yearning for something more. There was something inside of her crying out louder than the need to prove that she was the absolute strongest in the world. The blood that stained her hands no longer excited her. Even the multiple opportunities to torture a person didn't have the same allure to it.

"Tatsumi, what…did you do to me?"

She only returned because she needed to see why his words had such an effect on her, growing over these last few years. For Esdeath knew that she would not convince him otherwise to leave whatever the Empire was. Of course, she could've always kidnapped him. But there was the matter of their daughter.

Something about thinking of her child really derailed everything.

And Esdeath needed to know what it was.

These feelings…she didn't understand them. She couldn't comprehend what she felt in her heart. It was madly frustrating.

She had to know.

At least, before that little assassin finally made her move. The girl had been trailing her on and off for weeks, and Esdeath wondered why it took so long to make a move.

Esdeath pushed onward.

If Akame was content with hiding in the shadows, then Esdeath would simply wait for her to strike. She would not start a battle until she saw her daughter and Tatsumi first. Then…she would settle this.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: So, just to clarify, while I'm enjoying writing this fanfic, and loving the responses I've gotten so far, I don't want to write overly long chapters. It helps with my updating process. Don't worry, I won't sacrifice any quality while writing these chapters.**_

"Make sure you behave real good for Leone, ok?" Tatsumi said with a smile. He patted the young girl on the head, brushing back some of the blue bangs over her forehead. She glanced up at him with a smile on her face and nodded.

"Are you going to have fun, daddy?"

"Eh, we'll see," he responded back, thinking of the date he was having tonight. He wasn't sure if it was going to be fun, or another chapter in the back-and-forth uncertainty that surrounded Mine. It was time to find out, he supposed. Dressed in more casual clothing appropriate for social settings than he expected to be wearing, he started for the exit, looking back at his daughter one more time.

But he noticed something peculiar about her and stopped.

"Where'd you get those goggles from?"

"Her awesome uncle Lubbock, of course," the aforementioned man said, entering the room. "What's up, Tatsumi? You haven't come to see me at all lately. Too busy with more ladies?"

"Aha…" Tatsumi chuckled. "Between Leone and Mine…I think Sayo gets all of my attention these days."

"Jeez, you sound so boring now," he joked, coming into full view.

Thinking more on it, Tatsumi did remember that Leone was supposed to be bringing somebody else to help her out with his daughter. And he heard another pair of footsteps as he was showering, but he didn't think it would be the man known best for assassinating the Prime Minister's son. Of course, nobody could've known that it was Syura the entire time, and certainly no one would've expected to find him wondering around Mt. Fake.

Tatsumi frowned.

On the other hand, given how that man's Teigu worked, he wondered how things would've turned out if Lubbock hadn't found Syura that day. Would he have been stuck on that island along with Esdeath for as long as they were? If the stay was longer, what would have happened between the two of them?

"Daddy…?" his daughter asked, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Oh…right! Better get going."

Leone was already on the couch, waving back to Tatsumi.

As he stepped out of the door, he realized that he had the most absolute confidence in his friends. They'd been through a lot together, from the rebellion, to the post-Empire, and even today, they were really the only folks that he would talk to for any length of period. He couldn't even say that about Wave – though, that guy was entirely too much like Tatsumi for his liking.

Mine, on the other hand….

The cool brisk air and smell of the famous Eastern-style barbeque that filled his nose brought some clarity to his thoughts. It was a cool night, cooler than the night before. And seeing people walking the streets lifted some of the burdens his thoughts had put on his shoulders.

Where was Esdeath?

Sayo had already been asking about her mother – she mistakenly thought Mine was her mother, and Mine certainly tried to take advantage of that to get closer to him. Though he found the behavior cute and amusing, it just didn't seem right. No…he owed their daughter the chance to get to know her real mother.

Hopefully only to good traits, however.

Tatsumi didn't know what he would do if he came home one day to find his daughter torturing her toys.

The thought made him shiver.

The home where Mine resided was just around the corner. He'd been on this street so many time in the past few years that he could practically walk there while blindfolded. He could even remember where he and Mine traced their fingers in the cement before it solidified, ensuring that their names would be written in a heart for years to come.

Ah…the memories had made him blush.

"Right then…let's go see her."

* * *

><p>Akame knew the target of the woman she was trailing. For days since she started to make her way back to the New Empire, the young assassin had been watching Esdeath, mildly curious what made her return to the shores of this continent. Having little time to do anything other than rest, move to a different location, and assassinate anyone who wanted to claim the head of the last active member of the Night Raid, Akame found it somewhat curious that her greatest enemy was not offering anything to signify her as a threat.<p>

She wanted to strike her down the very moment she happened to cross paths with the woman's killer aura.

But even though it was Esdeath that noticed her first, the former General made no attempt to attack her – or even acknowledge her.

Surely Esdeath knew that Akame was following her. She wasn't even trying to hide her killing intent.

And yet, Esdeath kept moving. Oh, she slept – and Akame was absolutely sure that this was no ploy on Esdeath's behalf to draw her in. No, it was as if Esdeath had another purpose in mind. As she hung on a nearby rooftop and watched as Esdeath moved seamlessly through the crowd, she curiously watched as the woman stopped at a merchant.

Esdeath blended in perfectly in this crowd. She had her hair tied in a thick bun and wore sunglasses over her face. Her clothing was entirely different – a long flowing dress that covered the recognizable Teigu mark in her cleavage, and practically showing off no skin to avoid drawing gazes.

"What are you after?" Akame wondered. "If you wanted to attack Najenda, why are you moving around quietly? That's not like you."

It did occur to Akame that she should've fled ahead of her target and passed the information to Najenda. But something about Esdeath's behavior didn't seem threatening. It made her feel incredibly uneasy, this uncertainty.

And then, she felt something – a powerful intent directed at her!

Immediately on edge, Akame prepared to draw her blade when she saw something flying in her direction from the street - a small, wrapped bag of some kind. It drew the attention of nearby onlookers.

Was this Esdeath's way to get her off the trail? By getting people to notice an assassin lurking nearby?!

She caught the small bag and eyed it with caution.

Esdeath mouthed something and then continued onward down the street. The onlookers looked away as well, clearly disinterested in Akame's lurking from the rooftop. She didn't feel anything unusual in the air, so it clearly wasn't the power of a Teigu. Perhaps it wasn't uncommon here for people to be hanging around on rooftops?

Suspicious, she opened it.

Her heart lightened almost immediately.

Treats!

She could almost smell the delicious flavors from the treats. There were lollipops, chewables, chocolates, even different crunchy bars! Oh, it had been so long since she was able to enjoy these little things. She could spend quite a while enjoying these delicious little …delicacies!

She felt a drool coming from the side of her lip.

But wait!

Gasping, Akame shot a hard glance back to the marketplace. The presence of Esdeath, as little of it as there was, had moved deeper into the city. It wouldn't be hard to find her again, especially as Akame moved along the rooftops…and it wasn't as if Esdeath was trying to run away.

No, she had a purpose.

Of course Esdeath would know that Akame loved treats. Anybody who knew her and her sister knew that the two of them shared some very common traits. Killing efficiency, a strong love for one another, even a huge love of food…but Esdeath's actions had left Akame even more on edge.

She was almost convinced that this was the action of a person trying to lull her into a false sense of security.

Especially with the words that Esdeath had mouthed.

Akame wasn't the best at reading lips, even with her time as the top assassin for the Empire drilled into her mind. She hadn't needed to read lips in a very long time. But she caught the meaning behind the woman's words.

_"I have unfinished business. We can settle our grudge once I have said my final words."_


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't matter how many times he had actually come here, the home that Mine lived in was breath-taking. Well, home was not really an accurate description – it was more like a mansion. Of course, being an ambassador for the Western tribes as she worked to eliminate discrimination of all forms probably required her to have the appropriate appearance.

The guards posted outside were equipped with Shingu – relics from the past that were meant to surpass the Teigu. They'd been sealed and weren't exactly public knowledge, especially since they could not even match the power of Teigu.

Tatsumi couldn't tell how many guards had been employed here, but he had the suspicion that even he would have some trouble while wielding the Incursio armor were he to be an enemy.

The layout of this place never changed. He knew how to get to the kitchen where he would prepare special meals, where the living quarters were at, where the bedroom had …been…

He covered his mouth with a fist and coughed.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting," the familiar voice of Mine – well, officially Mein at her own insistence – rose in the hall as she emerged from the kitchen. She had grown…she was at least the same height that Tatsumi was a few years ago. Though, his own growth spurt made him almost as tall as Bulat.

Her trademark pigtails were gone tonight, though he was sure that when the new morning came, she would clip them back into place. For tonight, her hair flowed freely. She wore a black skirt over short-sleeved pink tee, and wore black stockings that stopped just at her thighs. It was just enough for the imagination.

"Well, don't just stand there," Mein stated bluntly. "Say something. You're…you're making me nervous by just standing there and saying nothing."

"Oh…sorry," Tatsumi chuckled. "It's good to see you again."

"Hmph," she puffed, and then she went silent.

It was just like their relationship had been for quite some time: quiet, awkward, and full of uncertainty. Tatsumi knew that Mein wanted to cover up anything that Tatsumi might have shared with Esdeath. That woman's name and the fact that he saved her from Akame's killing blow was hard on their relationship. But it was his daughter that kept them from being together for any length of time, however. He made no secret of his requests to Najenda to find Esdeath and convince her to return to the Capital. She deserved to at least meet her daughter.

But Mein was willing to go through many lengths – adoption, if it came to that.

That kind of commitment scared him a little. He didn't hate Esdeath. And lately, he'd been thinking of that long week in which they'd been stranded on that island. If Lubbock hadn't killed Syura, would the two of them have had a child?

"Can you…help me in the kitchen?" Mein suddenly broke the silence. "I've…uhm…"

"Did you bring me here just to cook you food?" Tatsumi laughed.

But she just sent him a very ominous glare.

"Fine, fine," he held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'll teach you just like Akame showed me."

* * *

><p>"Miss Leone, can you read me a story?"<p>

Sayo had been so full of energy tonight and Lubbock was starting to feel the effects of exhaustion settling in on him. This girl was so much more tiring than using his Teigu! Seriously, how could one little girl possess so much energy and enthusiasm.

He looked over and even saw Leone starting to get tired.

Which meant that she would drink herself into another stupor after they figured out how to make this girl tired.

It must've been the monster general's blood coursing through her veins.

Leone settled onto a couch as Sayo climbed into her lap with a book in her hands. A smile took over her face as she wrapped an arm around the young child and cusped the bottom of the book with her other hand. "Sure thing, kiddo, but you have to call me Auntie Leone from now on."

"Auntie? Are you like…old?"

If there was going to be a reply, Leone couldn't get it out because of the choking fit that had erupted from her throat. She tried not to hunch over as she coughed hard.

A fit took over Lubbock as well, but it was of laughter. "This kid might be the greatest member of Night Raid."

The fierce growl of the Beast Lady traveled across the room, sending shivers down Lubbock's spine almost immediately. Immediately, he straightened his face and began to whistle. He wasn't even going to look her in the eye. Nope, not at all.

But curiosity caused him to look.

And sure enough, she was still glaring harshly at him.

Terrifyingly.

Menacingly.

Without breaking eye contact from him, Leone said to Sayo, "I can never be old…I'm not that much older than your father. But you want to know who will look old when I'm done with him. He won't be able to walk straight, see without glasses, or even talk. Actually, I have a better story for you, Sayo. It's called 'The Pervert's Last Day'. And this book is all about the wonderful things that can happen when karma is given a little boost with violent action."

"Pe…perve…uh…" Sayo frowned. "How do you say that? Per-vat?"

"Per-vert."

Sayo shook her head and raised the book. "Your story sounds boring. I want to read my book now."

"What's this?" Leone finally took her death stare off Lubbock. She gently pulled the book away and glanced at the cover. "Oh…this is the book that your father wrote you? Hm…I didn't know he could draw."

She lowered the book back into the girl's reach. Eagerly, Sayo took it and pointed at something on one of the pages.

"Daddy didn't draw them, but he put words in them so he could share the story with me. Mommy drew the pictures. Hey, did you know that Mommy is trying to be a hero somewhere?"

"Is that what your father told you?"

"Yup!" she nearly squealed. "Daddy said that when she's done being a hero, she would come back home so me and Mommy could meet each other. He said it was okay for Mommy to be gone so long because she had to fix some things."

"Oh Sayo…" Leone pulled the girl into an embrace.

Lubbock could almost pity the poor girl. To have Esdeath as a mother…the New Empire had no problem executing the former Emperor, who was clearly a child severely manipulated by his douchebag of an uncle. Najenda must've pulled some huge strings to keep her from harm – especially given that the affections Esdeath had given Tatsumi weren't exactly the best kept secret. Most people assumed that she and Tatsumi had relations after she kidnapped him after the tournament. And many more still probably figured it out, given Sayo's natural blue hair.

If Esdeath was still alive, and if she ever showed back up in the Empire, the little girl would learn the hard way why her mother was feared by most, and still was, even in the absence of her legendary bloodsheds on the battlefield.

"The story goes that there was once a young man who came from a far away village that was covered with ice and snow…"

* * *

><p>"I'm here…at last," Esdeath had said, though it was not an easy journey. She was not used to walking around without at least a horse or a sword – she had neither of those. If she were attacked, she had no misgivings that she would be capable of defending herself…but it would've worked against her true goal.<p>

Akame had been trailing her for the longest time, never making a move, content only with watching.

It was clear to Esdeath that no matter what her intentions were, it would come down to the two of them settling the fight they had started long ago. With that sword carrying the power to kill in one stroke, the former general didn't want to risk losing her opportunity to finally see the daughter she'd given birth to.

Tatsumi surely raised her in a manner that might have been incomprehensible to Esdeath. The world in which he lived was so very different from the real world – the world that she knew. But the world was changing. There were always battles going on, so Esdeath knew that she would always have a home.

But these feelings…they just continue to grow, festering and blossoming inside her chest.

What she knew was that she couldn't continue on like this without seeing her child and Tatsumi.

It wasn't hard to find Tatsumi's place. He wasn't the type to move around a lot as she had. Run had kept her supplied with enough information to keep tabs on his whereabouts, though he probably wouldn't have guessed that she would leave the battlefield. As she walked the lone street where Tatsumi resided, she could feel the killing intent behind her growing ever so slowly.

Akame was preparing for a fight.

And Esdeath knew why.

There were two strong presences behind the door. She could only guess that they were Night Raid members, but which two? The girl who fought like a beast? The guy with razor-sharp wires at his disposal? The little girl who killed Budo? Najenda, perhaps? Or was it one of her own former members, Wave?

"Well…I'm not used to this…" she remarked as hesitation held her actions.

Her daughter could be one of those presences as well. Esdeath's blood had tamed the Danger Beast's blood coursing through her veins…perhaps some of the beast's blood transferred into her daughter as well.

She took a deep breath and recited words that she used to strike fear into her enemies, "I am General Esdeath, the strongest that this chaotic world has to offer. Hesitate, and you will be cut down like the thousands of bodies before you."

And yet, even as she said this, she was nervous. It was an emotion that she didn't like.

Far away, Esdeath had no idea that Tatsumi was standing in the kitchen of the ambassador of the Western lands. She had no idea that he was cooking up a meal with a romantic interest, that the two of them had been in the middle of chopping up some vegetables, that his hands were caressing hers as he showed her how to cut.

No, Esdeath hadn't the faintest idea that behind these doors, Tatsumi would not be there.

She knew that Akame was in a position to strike at her.

And she knew that one wrong slip-up could cost her everything that she had risked to come here.

Her knuckles rapped against the door, and she felt one of the presences moving about in the room. She kept her own presence hidden, because if it was Night Raid inside, they would know her immediately.

But when the door opened, her caution gave way to something else.

Anger.


	4. Chapter 4

The thrill of the hunt had been ingrained in her very blood since her time with her tribe in the cold wilds. The perfect killer, her father once said about her. She always found an enjoyment of some sort when in the midst of a life and death struggle. It was a hunt – it always was. Even in the middle of a fight, there was that love of the hunt that excited her more passionately than most things in life.

Most.

Ice cream was a close third.

Another person was second, perhaps a close first excitement.

There was none of that passion of battle here.

The sword felt cool and familiar in her hand; it was a gesture she hadn't engaged in for quite some time. No, there was no excitement, no heat of the moment bloodlust as she yanked the hair of an enemy. Her eyes brimmed a violent hue of red as she lowered the sharp edge of her ice weapon towards a throat.

One slice, and this troublesome person would be out of the way.

Perhaps not dead, but it would take time to heal such a gruesome wound.

Odd that the woman hadn't transformed through the use of her Teigu…not unless…

Oh!

The woman's name was Leone – Esdeath was sure of that. She did not have her Teigu, and yet she tried to lash out at a superior opponent the moment their eyes locked up. The kill was close, and Esdeath did not have any desire to gloat in the moment.

The former General was furious.

She moved to slice Leone's throat, to put this rabid creature down permanently. Her murderous stalker was already on the move, but it might have been too late were it not for the other Night Raid member. The wires snapped around Esdeath's wrist and wrenched her arm away.

The next moment passed in a flash, with Esdeath's ice sword shattering at the hilt. But her freezing of time and space had provided her the advantage of slipping out of the deadly path that Akame's sword cut through. Yet, even with mastery over the tiring ability, Esdeath hadn't completely dodged the strike – pieces of her hood were sliced away, along with some of the unkempt hair that she hadn't maintained for days, weeks even.

She stepped on her back heel, intent on finishing the assassin with a single stroke.

If only there weren't the wire where she had stepped.

"Careless!" she shouted to herself as she stumbled away.

Time, frozen, returned to its normal flow. An opportunity to remove one of the assassins failed, and Esdeath cursed her lack of awareness. She crashed to the ground, but the momentum of the fall was with her. Akame's sword struck concrete as Esdeath rolled to the side, rising in time to narrowly avoid a series of fists and kicks. The pace had been quick, leaving her little time to create an offense.

Akame circled around to her backside.

The few wires she could perceive out the corners of her eyes were being set in the area.

The great General Esdeath, one whose power alone was said to rival an entire army and more, was unable to mount anything but an agile defense. She was already exhausted just from her long journey without much of a genuine break during her stops – her movements were slowing, though she was still better than all three of the Night Raid members.

She stepped towards Leone swiftly just as Akame lunged.

Pulling the blonde into the path of the sword, Esdeath turned her attention towards Lubbock, creating yet another sword of ice. "How dare you!" she shouted, slashing her sword vertically – a massive crescent-shaped projectile barely missed Lubbock as the sharp attack sliced through the front door, shattering on a wall inside of the house.

"You'll kill her!" Leone shouted.

Esdeath turned her eyes back to Leone, only to be pressed once more by Akame. Their weapons clashed in a fury – Akame had gotten better, faster, stronger. The red marks on her body weren't just for show, it seemed. The assassin had changed. For each strike that she had parried, Esdeath felt the impact of their blades vibrating through her bones. Every time Akame sliced through one of her ice swords, she simply created another to continue fighting.

She felt Akame hesitate.

Esdeath dropped to the ground immediately as Leone swung hard at thin air.

Manifesting out of thin air and rising from the ground, Esdeath rode her new pillar up above the buildings. She saw the wires created by Lubbock above her head and leapt from the pillar, diving through the window leading into the second floor of Tatsumi's home.

"Aah!" screamed the voice of a startled female.

Anyone who dared to live in Tatsumi's home was going to die. Her anger spiked again, and she turned to the direction of the voice. With icy sword poised for a killing blow, Esdeath was about to strike down the life of yet another annoyance.

The room was empty, save for a desk and a bookshelf that hardly warranted attention. She could hear the sounds of movement downstairs. Behind her, she saw Akame climbing rather quickly up the ice pillar left behind. Sucking in her teeth, Esdeath ripped the rest of her hooded top off her body and flung it towards the window, just as Akame leapt from the pillar and stepped on the window sill.

"Be gone!" Esdeath shouted back as Akame swatted the fabric away with a slap. Exactly as planned. An explosion of ice encased the hooded top, as well as enveloping the assassin's arm. The momentum from her slap worked against her small body and gave the ice a stronger velocity than before, carrying Akame back out of the window.

It wouldn't kill her.

Something like this wouldn't kill a Night Raid assassin.

But it didn't need to…Esdeath was sure that there was yet another assassin here, or at the very least, a hostage she could use to gain an unfair advantage. She quickly fled out of the unremarkable room and down the short hallway. The footsteps were at the stairs, but still, Esdeath pressed forward, bursting into the room where the voice had come from.

She raised her sword not to kill, but to at least maim.

There was hesitation.

It wasn't because the room walls were purple, nor had it been the many toys that had been laid about.

Nor had it been the presence of a bedroom that looked as though a child might live here.

There weren't many things that could surprise Esdeath or even make her hesitate. And yet, Tatsumi seemed to be a constant source of her doing things she never thought she'd ever participate in.

An encounter she hadn't thought about in a fairly long time ran through her mind. The night when she and the one person to pierce her heart…when they finally had their defining moment.

She didn't have to guess who it was that stood before her.

The terrified daughter of Esdeath retreated into the corner of her room, her tearful eyes staring back at the woman she likely didn't know was her mother. "My…child…"

"You don't have the right to be here," spoke Leone.

She was ready for a fight.

Unfortunately for her, so was Esdeath. She spun on her heel, and for the first time since the arriving at Tatsumi's doorstep, she cracked a smile. "Watch carefully, daughter. I will show you the kind of blood you have in your veins."

The excitement was fake, however, and Esdeath knew it.

"Step aside!" shouted another voice, that of a male whom Esdeath had been vaguely familiar with.

The two Night Raid assassins assembled before her eyes stepped away from the doorway, revealing two figures – one was pointing a ringed fist at her, and the other had a fairly large sword in hand. She recognized the second one.

"Wave?"

Recognition lit up in the man's eyes.

The first figure, dressed in garments resembling that of a police guard, mumbled something. The white jewel on top of his finger spread open – it was a powerful item, but it was certainly no Teigu. And yet, Esdeath recognized the weapon for what it was. Prime Minister Honest had such a weapon, once.

But this one looked different.

She realized just as a heavy pressure overcame her body what the item in question was.

It had been a Shingu.

Almost instantly, she felt her entire body weaken. Her knees buckled before meeting the hard ground; exhaustion suddenly enveloped her body. But most of all, she knew that her blood had been nullified…she could not control ice.

"How long?" asked Lubbock as he surrounded Esdeath in wiring.

"Not long," replied the ring-wearing guard. "I'd say maybe a day or two before she can get her Teigu back. I haven't had to use this thing like this in a while, so I need to get it back to the alchemist."

"Jeez…Akame, too?"

"Couldn't be helped," Wave said, directing a glare at Esdeath. "They're both branded enemies of the New Empire. I'll notify the Emperor's advisor. She'll want to know about this."

Lost in the conversation and her own sudden weakness, Esdeath had completely tuned out all of the sounds in the room…until she heard the crying of her little girl behind her. She couldn't stand and the bindings around her body had kept her from reaching out to her.

Still, she turned to glance at her daughter.

The girl was in tears.

Leone walked briskly past Esdeath to kneel in front of the girl.

"Don't touch her!" Esdeath suddenly burst out, anger once more flaring in her chest. Unfamiliar feelings had once more erupted, but she was in no mood to ponder why she felt the way she did. She only wanted to cut that woman's throat open.

Strong as she had become, even without a Teigu, the impact of the Shingu had drained everything in her body. But even at the point of pushing her body past its limits, Esdeath tried to stand and go after her daughter.

Leone was looking at her as the girl hugged her.

No, Leone was glaring.

"I will not forget this," Esdeath vowed. "I will end you."

Wave had practically dragged her out of the room and down the stairs. Even if Esdeath wanted to fight back, she knew that at this point, it would be a folly. Wave's arm around her was the only thing allowing her to stand and move. But it was not over. That other man said she would have her abilities back within a day or two.

She would survive until then, no matter what.

And then she would show them all why she was the strongest.

Outside, Wave forced Esdeath to her knees and whispered an apology. "We have to transport you two by carriage."

Akame was also in a similar position on the ground, but Esdeath did not care. She was already plotting. Her daughter did not belong with these pests. Where had Tatsumi been in the middle of all this?

As if toyed with by fate, she heard his voice. "Wha…Esdeath? You…you're here?"

And sure enough, when she looked up, she saw Tatsumi's face for the first time in three years. And behind him, the sniper that killed Seryu.

The picture of them standing near each other sickened Esdeath.

And broke her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Before I get the notices of OOC in this chapter, keep in mind that this is a side of both characters that we've never seen before, in a situation that neither of them were equipped to deal with. Enjoy **_

_The manta ray had been long gone and there wasn't a way to tell if another one would show up. Disappointed that she had failed to capture such easy prey, Esdeath had spent the last few days attempting to craft a boat. With the hot sun beaming down on her, she knew that it would take some time to finally return to the Empire along with Tatsumi. As amazing as the idea had been to enjoy the little vacation on the island, there was still the rebellion to put down. As long as she was absent, the Empire faced a hard battle, and she did not want to miss the opportunity to end it._

_ It was strange that the portal hadn't opened, but after a day or two, Esdeath no longer took that into equation._

_ Her white jacket was laying on the sand, soaked with her sweat. Her formerly pristine boots lay next to them. Admittedly, it felt quite calming to dig her bare feet in the soft sands, and close her eyes as the cool water washed ashore to lap against her skin. It somehow made the experience of building a boat seem less frustrating._

_ Even Tatsumi had abandoned some of his clothes. He still kept on a tanktop and pants, leaving just enough of an imagination for Esdeath. She truly wanted to touch his bare skin. But he'd been somewhat distant from her. He didn't exactly fight off her hugs, but even she could tell that something had changed. Here on the island, she could make him submit to her will._

_ It wouldn't work, not in such a short amount of time._

_ But he was putting his effort into fixing the boat._

_ The hours seemed to go by incredibly fast, with only small talk being exchanged between the two of them. She learned little else, other than he had been working on getting stronger. When it got too dark, Esdeath suggested that they take a break for the night._

_ Without a word, Tatsumi had stood and walked to the ocean, proceeding forward until he was chest-deep in the waters._

_ She warned him about going into such waters. There could have been an unknown number of creatures lurking, but he wasn't listening._

_ He hadn't listened to her in days._

_ It was maddening!_

_ Anybody else, and this would've been outright disrespectful._

_ She belonged to him and nobody else._

_ Watching him in the ocean, letting the waves wash away the day's work, had drained just a little bit of the frustration out of her. Only a little. She still felt mildly upset that he was not excited to be anywhere around her. He needed to be broken. He needed to be trained._

_ She marched over to the ocean front._

_ Tatsumi still paid her no heed._

_ She would have to fix that, as well. As much as she loved him, she would not tolerate such disrespect after the hospitality she had shown him, both at the palace, and now here on what should have been a lovely break from the mess in the Empire. Her chest felt hot as she walked into the ocean, her blue eyes narrowing as she grew closer to him._

_ Closer._

_ She was near him._

_ Closer._

_ Tatsumi spun and stared at her in the eyes._

_ "Tatsumi…"_

_ Hotter…hotter…it was like something was burning in her chest. The way he looked at her…the defiant glance he had sent her way…_

_ "I was only trying to take a bath," he said, and it seemed as though he was taking a step back. But something happened, and before she had known it, Tatsumi's head sank under the water._

_ She panicked, and dove in head first._

_ Perhaps he simply lost his footing. Or maybe it was something else, maybe some ocean creature that he had stepped up. All Esdeath had known was that she had crashed head-first into his chest. When the two of them resurfaced, it was Esdeath that was holding him up._

_ He was slowly trying to worm his way out of her grasp._

_ But she wasn't letting go._

_ "Esdeath, please…"_

_ "I will not," she said, her breaths coming in shallow._

_ "The sand just gave away a little bit," he protested._

_ "I won't lose you, not here," she told him. A hunger had awakened in her, a desire that had overridden even the lust of blood that had coursed through her veins. She was aware of the fact that in the brief scramble, Tatsumi had yanked away her bra. It was purely accidental, but the thought of being exposed like this sent her thoughts in a direction that she never considered for herself before._

_ And Tatsumi had noticed it._

_ The panic in his eyes was absolutely adorable._

_ And irresistible._

_ The hunger she felt was taking over. She wasn't even aware of her own actions anymore, only the thoughts that ran through her mind. His lips…oh, she wanted to kiss him again._

_ He stiffened up at first, but he did not push her away._

_ She felt her breaths growing shorter._

_ It was time to pull away. To breathe!_

_ She did so._

_ But she was only allowed one short breath before Tatsumi's lips had found hers. It seemed something had erupted in him as well, something that perhaps defied human logic. This was a hunger building in him, wasn't it? Was he fighting an urge?_

_ It didn't matter._

_ Something carnal awakened, and Esdeath wasn't going to let her own thoughts distract her from what she envisioned was coming next. And she wasn't going to let Tatsumi end it prematurely. The moment his hand touched her hip…_

"Your food, murderer."

The sudden jolt from dream to reality was incredibly jarring. For a moment, Esdeath had even forgotten how miserable it felt to be in a prison cell. The guard whom had knocked her from her stupor slid a plain tray of food under the barred cell door.

How long had it been since she was placed here?

A day?

"Eat it. We need our prisoners healthy before their execution," the guard mentioned with a scowl.

"You command me?" Esdeath said, rising. There was death in her eyes. She could not summon any of the powers that her blood afforded her. That bastard with the ringed Shingu made sure of that a second time when he returned earlier in the day. But the Teigu that Esdeath possessed could not easily be nullified, and the jewel on the ring had cracked. It seemed that they would have to recharge it daily in order to keep her from being able to escape.

They wanted to humiliate her. Of course they did. This weak Empire found some satisfaction as they announced her capture as they tied her to the back of a carriage. The few people that had been outside were throwing items at her. Stones, fruits…whatever small item they could get their hands on. The guards who had been escorting her were quick to act, but the damage had been done.

Esdeath was not nearly as humiliated as they felt they had made her.

No, it only made her hungry to dominate these fools.

Whatever mercy that the new Emperor had shown was not lost on her. The bandage wrapped around her forehead was tossed in her cell when she first arrived. Ointments to cover the small cuts and bruises were also thrown into her cell. They were rightly afraid that she could try to fight them, Teigu or not.

No, not fight.

Kill.

But one thing had truly bothered her about the whole scenario.

It wasn't the fact that she smell of stale fruit. It was the fact that Tatsumi had never followed her. The last time she had seen him was as she was being heaved away on the back of the carriage. She saw the woman who was holding her daughter arguing with him about something.

It wasn't a friendly argument either.

"Eat, because Najenda will be deciding the type of execution you will be receiving tomorrow."

A scowl formed over Esdeath's face, matching the guard's. "Some nameless soldier who thinks to intimidate me. It's easy when you're standing on the other side of the cell. But I can still ensure that you won't make it to my execution."

"You're right. It is easy. And you hav-"

The Empire's Strongest.

That was her title for the longest time.

Perhaps the guard should've paid heed to that fact.

She moved like the wind, crashing against the bars of her cell and snatching the guard by his throat. It was not going to be a clean kill, but that was alright. Her nails began to dig in his neck. His arms flailed. A couple fists slammed into her forearm, but her grip only tightened. The poor soul came here without a weapon – his own foolish mistake, and his last. He threw a hard punch that only slammed against the bars of the cell.

It wouldn't be long now.

Then she would find the keys on his body and escape this wretched place.

She would find her daughter and Tatsumi, and they would leave this accursed Empire. She would train them to cast aside their weaknesses, and her daughter would-

"Release him, now!"

She loosened her grip.

"Tatsumi?"

Tatsumi came into view. Her was certainly as tall as she was as he jogged to the cell door.

"Esdeath! I said let him go!"

Something in his voice startled her. Or perhaps it was the fact that he had a hand on his sword. But she did as commanded, and the guard flung himself against the opposite wall, grasping at his throat.

"Did you see what that bitch did?! We should just kill her now and be done with it."

Tatsumi, still with a hand to his hilt, said to the guard, "I will handle this. Please give me the keys and leave us."

"You can't be serious."

"Najenda is giving me the authority to act here. I will deal with Esdeath personally."

Hesitant, the guard snapped out the keys and brusquely handed him the keys. "Screw the greatest enemy we have, and you want to pull favors. Some hero you are."

There was a long moment of silence as the guard exited the dungeons.

"Have you come to execute me yourself?" Esdeath said as she walked over to her cot lying on the floor. She couldn't bear to look at him. This was not what she had envisioned for their daughter. To be friends with the ants in Night Raid? It was a joke. A sick, weak joke! "Is your little assassin girl going to do it, instead?"

"Akame's in another prison area. She was branded…an enemy of the new Empire a long time ago."

"Is that supposed to make me feel some kind of way? You disappointed me, Tatsumi. This peace…it is a sham. There is going to be another battle, another war. Somebody is not going to like what they see, and they'll start a rebellion. That is the way of this world."

Tatsumi shook his head. "You're wrong. These are good people, Esdeath. And you just came back and reminded them all of the nightmare of the old Empire."

"Old Empire?" Esdeath had now narrowed her eyes on him. "What's the difference? A new prison cell? More humane? It's all still a form of torture here. Only the afflictions are on the mind. I came here to see my daughter, Tatsumi. Our daughter. And what do I find? I find her in the same house as those people who rebelled against the Empire I knew. I found people who murdered my squad. The same people who I vowed to destroy, are now raising my daughter. And you are here, supporting that, walking with the girl who told you to behead me when I was at my weakest. Behead me?! After I promised you that I would take no further action after the Prime Minister was murdered. That I would seek out a battlefield of my own, that I would wait for you to come to your senses and join me."

"I couldn't do that to our daughter. She deserved a life without conflict."

Furious, Esdeath stood and grabbed the tray of food. Uncaring to the reputation she had built for always having a cool mind, she flung the tray of food at Tatsumi. The tray bounced uselessly against the black bars of her cell, the food colliding with Tatsumi's body. But he nonchalantly wiped away the meal from his face.

"Did you even try? Did you even try to see how my world was like, Tatsumi? I told you once, I could not comprehend your world. But I promised you…when you came after our daughter was old enough, I would show you what my world was like. I showed you and your people mercy, and I promised I would stay away until you came to see my world first, before I would try to comprehend this foolish world you and your people think they live in."

"Our daughter wouldn't have been happy with that. She's happy with this now."

"She doesn't fucking know anything else!" Esdeath had screamed at the top of her lungs, anger now dominating her features. "I could not stay because I would not afford to allow our child to be caught in the crosshairs. You made a promise to me. And you broke it. I have never been this furious in my life. You twisted my daughter into some puppet of this Empire."

"Esdeath, this isn't like you to just-"

"It is very much like me to take what I want."

Now it was Tatsumi's turn to grow angry. "And that's why you're here in the cell, Esdeath. I didn't even know when you were coming back. I heard you sailed over the ocean. You could've sent some letter telling me where you were at, or if you were coming. I would've met you."

"Your precious Night Raid would have followed you as well."

"They've been trying to show you mercy."

"Mercy? Only the weak throw that word around like it means something. Let me show you what mercy is."

And Esdeath stepped forward, into where there had been some light. To where Tatsumi could clearly see that she'd been stripped down to only a long shirt and her underwear. She wanted him to see the bandages that she wrapped on herself. She wanted him to see the bruises on her abdomen, the small cuts on her legs and feet from the rocks thrown at her. She needed him to see the stains of food that had been on her skin.

"I do not accept this world, Tatsumi. And my daughter doesn't deserve it either. And I will not be your pawn."

"Esdeath…Sayo deserves to see her mother."

"Then she will see her mother's true strength and pride. Tell Najenda or your new Emperor that I am demanding my trial by combat. Send every weakling you want to kill me."

"That…Esdeath, do you know what you're asking?" Tatsumi asked, shock in his voice. "Even if they grant your demand, they use the Shingu to keep you from fighting at your best. It is not intended for the Empire's enemies to survive. And your executioner…would be me."

Esdeath's face darkened. "Then that is appropriate, Tatsumi. I cannot accept your world. I will not. And it's obvious that you won't even attempt to look into mines."

She bowed her head for a moment. When she lifted it up again, the smile that once sent shivers down his spine returned.

"Tatsumi, I look forward to our duel to the death."


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Whew, my week got busy in a hurry. A couple of things. Reviewers – it makes me so happy when you send in your reviews. Trust me, I have read every single one of them multiple times, and I absolutely love everything that has been said so far. I am honored to be reviewed. Second, fans of Heart and Gunpowder – I have not forgotten about that fanfic at all. I just never expected this fic to be my most popular one. I would like to add a few more chapters to this fic before I start regularly updating them both. It shouldn't take long before that fic is updated once more.**_

"Tatsumi…Tatsumi…"

Esdeath lay there with hair sprawled across her sweaty face. She hunched up in a ball, covered only by light sheet of her cot. A rumbling in her stomach kept her from sleeping. She shivered. "Tatsumi…"

The name echoed in her mind and was given verbal form by her lips.

Why did he have to be so cold?

Did he really just forget about all they had done together?

She remembered the final day in the Empire as clear as day. It had been a very glorious day, one in which she believed that she could truly be killed – that felt incredible, to be engaged in a battle where she truly thought that she could be struck down. Akame had been set to unleash the blade's hidden potential. And then Tatsumi showed up, wrapped his arms around her waist, asking her to lay down her arms.

_"I cannot turn my back on my enemy," Esdeath told the young man. She could only see parts of his bloodied face through the cracked parts of his helm. Her heart sank upon seeing him like this – a thought she had never expected before occurred in her mind: that the Emperor should be punished for hurting him._

_ "But this battle is over. Are you willing to destroy the entire Empire now? Even you can't do that."_

_ Esdeath grinned, but the emotion behind it, as well as her words, felt hollow on the inside. "I've conquered many villages and peoples. I do as I please, Tatsumi. Understand that in this world, the weak bow down to those who are the strongest."_

_ "And what about our daughter? What if you kill her in the process? Will it be because an infant was too weak to defend herself?"_

_ Harsh words. She could have retorted. She should have retorted._

_ "Please…just stop fighting here. I don't want to…I don't want to lose you."_

"Liar…" Esdeath murmured as she turned in her cot. "You lied to me."

But then, what was tonight about? The gate to her cell was no longer unlocked, and the man that captured her heart was no longer inside of it. His lips…they were amazing. The feel of his flesh as her fingers finally touched him for the first time in years was incredible. The yearning that had been growing in her body almost exploded out of her.

The way his fingers ran across her skin, cleaning the wounds on her body…

She almost believed that he still had feelings for her.

Almost.

The image of him standing there with that annoying woman was grafted in her thoughts. He couldn't have cared for her as he claimed he did.

He was a liar.

And her daughter was…

"I don't even know about my daughter…"

Wetness on her face. It was wholly unfamiliar. Esdeath wiped at it. Oh, she knew that she was crying – she'd seen the emotion from others plenty of times, perhaps even understood that.

She just never thought that she would ever feel that emotion.

"I've become weak…" she murmured silently, burying her face under the blanket. Proudly, she would not sniff or make a sound. But here, away from anything that had a pulse in its body, away from any prying eyes or eavesdropping ears, far removed from the violent powers that coursed through her blood, she allowed herself to wallow in this emotion.

Esdeath didn't have the willpower to fight it anymore.

She couldn't even freeze her tears.

This, too, was Tatsumi's fault.

And she was beginning to wonder if she was starting to hate him for these emotions.

* * *

><p>Though he'd become accustomed to the palace over the years, Tatsumi still found himself in awe of just how majestic this place had become over the time stretch. For a place that had been completely destroyed, this area looked as though nothing had ever occurred. Though the same could not be said about other parts of the castle. Dorothea, formally of the Wild Hunt, had done her best to apply her unique alchemic services, and the Shingu were strengthened as a result.<p>

Though they would never surpass the power of a Teigu, the weapons were still quite valuable – well, those that still existed, anyhow.

The new Emperor had been adamant about destroying any Shingu that could be used as a means to challenge the new Empire. Most existing Shingu had been duplicated, though every copy was weaker, and most could only be used very sparingly, and they'd been used either for the rebuilding process, or for the police guard to safely subdue troublemakers.

Wave's partner-in-training had nearly broken his ring trying to subdue Esdeath's powers.

Perhaps that was just how strong she truly was.

Alone in the war room with the Emperor, Najenda, and the rest of Night Raid – a shell of their former activities – Tatsumi watched as Mein eyed him very cautiously. "Did you two have some sort of makeup session?" she asked him.

"I just asked her why she attacked," Tatsumi responded in a neutral tone.

"Is that why there's lipstick on you?"

"What?!"

Tatsumi quickly wiped at his face.

"Thought so."

Mein huffed and turned her face away from him. Only then did he realize that there was no lipstick.

Not on his cheeks, not on his neck, and certainly not on his lips.

Lubbock was quiet. Earlier, he was giving a look of sympathy, but now, he wasn't even looking in his direction.

"She tried to kill us," Leone spoke softly. "And you went down there to make up for three years?"

"It wasn't like that. She just…kissed me."

"Do you love her?"

Tatsumi choked. "I don't see why you're asking me that now."

"Do you love her?!" Leone shouted, slamming her fist on the table. "Because right now, we have a crazy sadist living in the dungeon, and we're not going to be able to keep her in check for long. She tried to kill us, in your own home, in front of your daughter. I knew we should've just let Akame kill her."

"Leone, that isn-"

"I shouldn't have to say this, but I could've died tonight, Tatsumi!" Leone rose up, teeth clenched and rage barely in check. "She could've sliced my throat tonight, and that would've been it. I didn't have my Teigu. Did you know that?"

"N-"

"Of course you didn't," Leone interrupted. "We all know what needs to be done. I just don't think Tatsumi can do it. But I will," at that, she looked to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, Tatsumi's too emotionally involved in this. I can do it. She's weak. We don't even need to give her the gratitude of a public execution. We can just end her now and ensure that the people don't have to see another nightmare."

"I agree," Mein said.

Tatsumi was aware of his fists clenching, but he was not conscious of the words that came flying out of his mouth, "Do you hear what you are saying? We're not just talking about killing Esdeath. We're talking about taking a mother from a daughter. They've never even met. I promised Esdeath that she would have a chance to see her child. She…she changed."

This time, it was Mein's turn to stand. "Your psychotic lover shows up out of nowhere and attacks Leone and Lubbock in your home, when they can barely defend themselves. Completely changed. I won't forgive the woman who took in that murderer Seryu. And I won't forgive you, Tatsumi, if you can't accept the fact that she has to die."

"She didn't kill you…"

"That was only because of Wave and Akame."

Najenda sat silently, smoking once more. She'd been wearing a white uniform, and her hair had once more been long and braided. But underneath that calm demeanor, Tatsumi could see that she was already reaching a decision in her mind. This was more or less an opportunity for Night Raid to vent their feelings about Esdeath.

The Emperor was eyeing him.

There was no trace of emotion in his features.

It was incredibly difficult to discern what it was that went through his mind.

When he motioned for silence with a simple hand gesture, the two younger members of Night Raid fell silent. But they still remained standing, their frustrated faces glaring at Tatsumi.

"Though I am sure that our people are united, I have no doubt that there are still loyalists craving for a sign to fight back against this new nation," he spoke, his words calm and measured. "I will not claim to know how you feel, Tatsumi. You, as well as the rest of Night Raid, have done a huge service, both in the rebellion, and in the rebuilding process. The only Esdeath I have known is the one who slaughtered thousands of lives and relished in their blood. That commotion earlier is going to spread, and the people will call on us to kill Esdeath. We spared one person, but that situation was very different…and even then, it took a long time for people to begin accepting him. His every move is being watched and judged, and there are still calls for us to execute him. The Esdeath that I, and the rest of the people, remember is someone who destroyed families, massacred and tortured many lives. She must be executed."

Tatsumi gulped hard.

"I ask you this, Tatsumi. Will you be able to execute her?"

"She…she wanted to be tried by combat."

At last, Najenda spoke. "Of course she does. If anything, Esdeath is a proud woman. She measures her very life by combat. So…can you do it? Can you fight Esdeath and kill her?"

"…I…"

And at that, Tatsumi was at a loss of words.

A loss of what to say.

Of what the right answer was.

But when he finally answered, he realized that he had condemned the fates of Esdeath, himself, and their love child.

* * *

><p>He rarely found himself in this room in the palace. Nice as it might have seemed, Tatsumi recognized it as it truly was – a prison cell built in the form of a lavish room. The room did seem empty when it was first built, as it was meant as a means of punishment in lieu of flat out execution.<p>

As its lone occupant did good deeds over the years, he was allowed to have more and more decorations, in order to combat the extreme loneliness in his time here.

It was a terrible fate to have, being restrained to just this room unless being directly supervised.

"Daddy!"

Well, it was a terrible fate for some.

With her blue hair tied in a long ponytail, Sayo ran out of the arms of her babysitter and glomped her kneeling father with the brightest smile that she could ever muster. "I missed you, Daddy!"

Despite the gloom looming over his head, even Tatsumi couldn't resist a smile as he kissed his daughter on the forehead. "I missed you a lot, too. I'm sorry that I've been away so long."

"That's okay. Uncle was playing with dolls with me. We had a tea party and ice cream and he even told me that I was a smart little girl. Do you think I'm smart, Daddy?"

"I think you're the most beautiful, smartest girl in the whole world."

Sayo could only smile at those words, and she gripped her father more tightly.

"Seems like nothing gets her down, does it?" the figure in the corner said.

"She's always been a happy little girl," Tatsumi said as he stood, lifting his daughter up into his arms.

"Does she know who that was?"

"No…I'll probably tell her tonight after we get home."

"Ah…that might not…be a good idea, considering what's about to happen," the young man said as he began to stack the small cups from the little tea party. "I was spared, but only because of my situation. I don't think Esdeath will have the same mercy, since everything she did was of her own free will."

"Who is E..Esdea…Est-dea-bt?" Sayo asked, trying to pronounce the name.

"She…I will you about it tonight."

"So what are you going to do?" Sayo's "uncle" asked.

"I don't know, Makoto. I really don't."

Makoto, last Emperor of the former Empire, and current prisoner of the new Empire, bowed his head and frowned. It wasn't a secret that Makoto was a prisoner – but lately, he'd been seen as more of an apologist for his own actions, than as a voice for the monstrous Prime Minister who had manipulated him. Still, with all the atrocities that occurred, Makoto knew that he had a very long way to go, perhaps the rest of his life, to make up for all of the misfortunes that plagued the country in his tenure.

"You know, she really did love you," Makoto told him. "You fit her qualifications perfectly."

"What do you mean?"

"Before you two had met, she gave me a list of exactly the kind of man she wanted to fall in love with. And you fit those qualifications perfectly. I think you were her first love, ever. I don't know how you feel about her, but …I think it's safe to say that she probably still loves you. I hate Honest for blinding me to a lot of things, but he did give good advice."

Tatsumi frowned. "Like what?"

"Well…I do believe him when he said that you never forget your first love."

First love…

_The cage unlocked, but Esdeath did not make a move to escape. Whether she didn't have the desire or was just too wounded to make a move, she simply sat there as Tatsumi applied ointment to her naked back. She was strong, no doubt. Her body was still in as much shape as it was when he first met her. She was fit, but not overly muscular. _

_ Her skin, however, was cold._

_ He remembered it being quite warm._

_ "I still love you," Esdeath suddenly mentioned._

_ Tatsumi was silent. Her warnings earlier about wanting to meet him in the field of combat still lingered on his mind. Could he kill her? Would he? He was the Empire's executioner, a role that he accepted only because of some lingering feelings in letting this woman go._

_ "You don't feel the same way about me, do you?"_

_ "I never said that. Now please…just be quiet and let me finish with these marks."_

_ "I will not," Esdeath suddenly turned, turning on her knees. She placed her hands gently on his face and pulled him closer, until their lips met. It was a long kiss, and Tatsumi's resolve quickly melted. He found her hips with his hands as he fell deeper into the kiss._

_ She pulled away._

_ "And you still…like me at least?"_

_ "It's not that easy," Tatsumi told her._

_ She looked as if she wanted to say something else._

_ Instead, she turned away._

_ Tatsumi wrapped his arms around her. She flinched a little – crazy thought that he would be able to make perhaps the strongest person in the world flinch like this. He kissed her neck gently. "I wish…I wish we could've met like this under different circumstances. I wish you weren't my enemy. I wish that we could've at least tried to be a family together."_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Hello all, just letting you know that I'm still here and this fic is still very much in progress. There aren't too many chapters to go. As I prepare to work on the next chapter, just wanted to let you know that between work and school, I haven't had much time for anything else. But I will finish Kill the Old Chains. Don't mind the short chapter – this is actually an intentional thing, and you'll see why soon.**_

"It's time."

"I know."

It might have been a moment of weakness, but Esdeath was happy to see her former subordinate as he opened the cell doors. He was flanked by the same man whom had neutralized her abilities for days. The jewel he wore on the ring was cracked badly – she doubted he would get more than one final usage out of it. She had made sure that he was especially aware of how much she disliked him – the violent gaze she sent him had only provoked a timid response and he lifted his ring finger towards her forehead.

"Esdeath, stop."

She had almost ignored Wave's voice as she emerged from the cell. Almost naked and barefoot, Esdeath walked along the clammy dungeon floor. She tried not to wince at the wind blowing against the still raw cuts on her legs, but it was difficult in this moment of weakness.

Her mind wondered to Tatsumi, her executioner.

This new Empire was not willing to wait long to figure out her fate. It was almost overnight that they had made the decision. Her heart swelled upon thinking of it, and she began to smile without thought.

"Stop whatever it is you're planning, murderer!"

The hard smack of a fist smashed against the back of her head.

Weak and tired, Esdeath stumbled forward before collapsing against the nearest wall. She bit her lip and spun, growling death. But it was Wave who'd stepped in between them, his back towards her. And he was reprimanding the police guard. It was likely that Wave would eventually stop shouting at the man and turn to apologize to her. Even in her heightened state of fury, she expected that kind of gesture out of Wave.

He was a loyal subordinate.

In a sense, he had reminded her of Tatsumi.

Even as a prisoner, he still treated her with a measure of kindness.

It was a weakness that was supposed to kill him – that was what this world should have been about. And yet, her worldview was constantly challenged, no matter how much she tried to cling to it.

It was why Wave would survive the dungeon.

Weak as she had been, Esdeath never forgot that she had earned the title of the Empire's Strongest. It was a fact that her enemies remembered – but they did not remember that she was a warrior even without the use of her Teigu. Wave should have known better. The way his body suddenly tensed as she wrapped her arm around his throat, flipping him over her hips, and dropping his body to the ground surprised even her – as if he never even suspected that she would strike. She gave him a kick to the face and watched as his body go limp.

Alive, but unconscious.

A burst of weakness hit her body and her knees betrayed her. The shattering of the ring jewel drew her attention to the police guard as he unsheathed a sword. But he took too long in posturing and screaming, as if that would cause her to freeze in fear for her life.

She leapt forward, throwing her near limp body into his chest.

Close enough.

She reached out to grab his descending hand. Her body wasn't strong enough to control his limb, but the sword wouldn't reach her. It was good enough. He stumbled back, reared his head back, and then drove his head into her.

It was enough to knock her to the ground.

The guard quickly pounced, having lost his sword during the scramble. He straddled her and placed his full weight over her body. His hand, cold and rigid, grabbed for her throat. She instead reached for his collars, gripping the cloth, and pulled as hard as she could muster.

The guard fought, striking her with fists as his body collapsed on top of hers.

She looked at him, and he looked at her.

He ceased his punching as he stared at her face – a tiny stream of blood poured from her cheek, and another came from her lips.

Before he could ponder what had happened, Esdeath lashed out – by sinking her teeth into his throat…


End file.
